A Digital Radio That Costs Less Than Half Its Cheapest Rival

The cost of receiving digital AM and FM signals will drop next week as Radiosophy releases its HD100 receiver for less than $60 with a rebate. The HD100 pulls in HD Radio signals, a digital format that is broadcast alongside standard radio by more than 1,200 stations in this country. The next least expensive digital receiver is $160 with a rebate; most start at $300.

Available at www.radiosophy.com, the HD100 is a 2.2-pound compact receiver with built-in speakers. It has a play-through auxiliary input, a headphone jack and an alarm clock. AC power is required.

The radio has an internal AM antenna and a pull-out FM antenna. Both can be replaced with external antennas. Because digital signals are limited to 1 percent of the power of a station’s analog transmission, HD receivers often need external antennas for clear sound on far-off signals.

A display screen shows station call letters, song and artist details and — depending on the station — brief updates on traffic, weather, news and sports.

With its low weight, telescoping antenna and ability to play music from devices like iPods, the HD100 might have a place on the beach — as long as there is a cord long enough to reach it.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page C10 of the New York edition with the headline: A Digital Radio That Costs Less Than Half Its Cheapest Rival. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe